Pumpkin Pecan Candy Balls

Submitted by beckerd

"I found this recipe in a candy making book for beginners. It turned out tasting good, but I could not make it into balls because it stayed really sticky and gooey. I've included a second recipe on what I did with the pumpkin mixture. I call that one "My pumpkin mistake"You may have to cook it longer so it'll be really stiff to make into the balls."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 12

ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1 3⁄4 cups cooked pumpkin (15 oz can)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup crushed vanilla wafers (optional) or 1 cup cinnamon graham crackers (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup butter (optional)

directions

1. Combine the sugar,coconut, and pumpkin in a heavy medium saucepan.Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Continue cooking,stirring constantly,until mixture thickens and forms a ball,15-20 minutes.
3. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Place the cooked mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool.
5. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid a skin forming.
6. Roll a Tbsp of the mixture into balls between your palms.
7. Roll the balls in the chopped pecans.
8. Store the candies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.
9. NOTE:It was too sticky and gooey for me to make it into balls. I had to cook it 30 minutes before it got thick and ball-like.
10. The following is what I made out of it:.
11. Spray a 8x12 pan with nonstick spray.
12. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs,cinnamon, and butter until combined.
13. Place in prepared pan and pat in place.
14. Place pan in fridge for 10 minutes.
15. Take out of fridge.
16. Place gooey pumpkin mixture on top of crumb mixture.
17. Put chopped pecans over top of pumpkin mixture and pat down so pecans stick to the pumpkin.
18. Slice and serve.
19. **Tastes better the next day**.